Books. The most dangerous weapon in all of existence to ever have and ever will be wielded. That's what I've told myself every day since arriving here. Alexandria.
No, not the ancient city; those ruins were long lost to time. I don't even think it existed. This was the library, the true heart of the world's knowledge, a place where every book that ever existed, and ever would exist, was kept safe. A labyrinth of endless corridors, spiralling staircases, and towering bookshelves that stretched far beyond the limits of the imagination. If there was an end to this place, I had never found it. The air, like always, was thick with the scent of old paper and ink, a heady aroma that was both comforting and oppressive.
I had no memories of a time before this place. It's always just been the library as far as my memories would go back. I just ended up here surrounded by the vastness of knowledge, with no recollection of who I was or how I had come to be here. The only thing I knew was my purpose: to guard the library, to protect its secrets, and to ensure that the forbidden knowledge contained within never fell into the wrong hands.
The library was a place of impossible architecture. Books floated around without shelves, lights illuminated every corner despite having no visible source, and the air, like always, was thick, almost claustrophobic. The walls, if they could be called that, were close, with narrow pathways barely wide enough for a single person to pass through. However, with that constant feeling, the presence of so much knowledge, there was an eerie stillness, a quiet that pressed down on me like a burden.
I moved through the corridors with practised ease, my fingers brushing against the spines of books as I passed by. Each one was unique, containing stories that spanned worlds and eras, filled with knowledge that had shaped civilisations, inspired revolutions, and sparked countless imaginations. But not all of this was meant to be shared.
Some books were not on the shelves; the others figured that out long ago. They were hidden, locked away in sections of the library that no one, not even I, was supposed to enter. These were the forbidden tomes, volumes of such dangerous and arcane knowledge that their mere existence posed a threat to reality itself. I had always felt their presence, a dark and foreboding weight pressing against the edges of my mind. They were a reminder that not all knowledge was benign and that some secrets were better left undiscovered.
I continued my rounds, ensuring that every book was in its proper place and that every tome was accounted for. It was a ritual l I had performed countless times, a task that had become second nature to me. In front of me, I noticed a book had fallen; walking over it, I squatted down, picked it up, and inspected the contents. The front of the book was titled Dating for Dummies.
Okay, not every book had rich knowledge worth keeping. But every book was important. I flicked through it, leaning against the shelf, just captivated by the pictures and words. I got to one page showing the couple cuddling. I stared at the image for a while before slamming the book shut and putting it back where it belonged. Patting myself down, I held my train of thought for a while, curious as to what it was like. I wrapped my arms around myself blankly, looking onward.
It felt a little empty.
I stopped sighing, making sure the other books were in place properly. Just another day, every day was like this; I couldn't even say I wouldn't change it for the world as that would imply I knew a difference to compare it to. Even then, there was something different today. Something unsettling that I couldn't quite place.
I paused, my senses off as I caught sight of a figure in the distance. It was just a fleeting glimpse, a shadow moving through the stacks, a real blink-and-you-miss-it moment. It wasn't the first time they had happened; my eyes just loved playing tricks on me, after all. But there shouldn't be anyone here. I was alone in this place; I always have been.
Regardless of whether my eyes are playing tricks on me or not, I cannot sit around and let the off chance it was a real person slip by. Without hesitation, I gave chase, my footsteps echoing through the corridors as I pursued the mysterious figure. The library's architecture twisted and shifted around me as I ran, the bookshelves narrowing and closing in as if trying to trap me. But I didn't slow down. I couldn't afford to.
As I rounded a corner, I saw the figure again and the edge of a parasol stepping out of sight. They were closer this time. They moved quickly, disappearing behind a tall stack of books. I pushed myself harder, my heart pounding as I closed the distance. I already had my fingers in a snapping position for when the time came. I was so close, just a few steps.
Out of nowhere, a bleeding red eye appeared in front of me; it caught me off guard. I stepped back expecting an attack when, suddenly, the floor beneath me gave way, and I plummeted into darkness. Any attempt to save my fall or escape was blocked by being so startled by the eyes.
I landed hard on the cold, stone floor, the impact jarring me to my bones. For a moment, I lay there, dazed and disoriented, trying to make sense of what had just happened. When I finally managed to sit up, I realised I had fallen into a section of the library I had never seen before.
The air was different here... Colder, heavier, and tinged with a sense of foreboding that sent a shiver down my spine. The walls were lined with ancient, crumbling tomes, their spines cracked and faded with age. This place felt... wrong. I knew instinctively that I wasn't supposed to be here.
My hand shifted back, pushing a book back. Picking it up, it had a worn-down title, but it was clear enough.
Forbidden Knowledge Vol 1 - Mortality
I dropped the book, throwing aside the temptation. I was warned about these tomes. The forbidden words... They were real.
I quickly rose to my feet, backing away; I had to get out of there. But curiosity, or perhaps something more sinister, drew me deeper into the hidden section. As I walked, my eyes were drawn to a single book on a pedestal at the centre of the room. It was bound in dark leather, its surface etched with strange, pulsing symbols that seemed to shift and writhe under my gaze. The book quivered as I approached, whispering words I couldn't quite understand, but the voice was unmistakably mine.
I hesitated, every instinct screaming at me to turn back. But something compelled me forward, a force that I couldn't resist. My eyes rested on the title. Another damned title.
Forbidden Knowledge Vol 0 - Wishes
I reached out, my hand trembling as I touched the cover of the book.
The moment my fingers made contact, a surge of energy exploded from the book, a blinding horrid light that filled the room and sent a shockwave through my body. I tried to pull away, but it was too late. The book opened on its own, its pages flipping widely as a torrent of forbidden knowledge poured forth.
I felt the library around me shudder, the very fabric of reality straining under the pressure. Books began to fly off the shelves, sucked into the vortex of energy that swirled around me. I tried to hold on, but the force was too great. I was being pulled in, dragged into the heart of the storm.
The world spun as I was pulled into the book's maw, reality itself warping and twisting around me. A sympathy of voices, my own, filled my mind, each one speaking words I could barely comprehend, a chorus of madness echoing through the void. My body felt weightless, as if I were falling through an endless abyss with no beginning and no end. For a moment, I thought this might be the end... That I would be consumed by the very knowledge I had sworn to protect.
But then, I felt a jolt, a sudden violent pull that ripped me from the void. The darkness receded, replaced by a brilliant, blinding light that forced my eyes shut. The sensation of falling increased, my stomach dropping as I plummeted through the air. The wind roared in my ears, a loud howl that finally drowned out the voices.
Somehow, I was still clutching onto the book. It was the one that had sucked me into this nightmare. As the wind tore at me, I forced my eyes open just enough to catch a sight I had never expected to see. It was like the pages from my books, a whole new world. A landscape far below, a patchwork of greens and blues, forests and rivers stretched out as far as I could see. A village, shrine, mansion, I saw it all.
And then, they came. The forbidden tomes, dozens of them, each one surrounded by a pulsing aura of evil energy. They shot out from the swirling vortex that surrounded me, flying in all directions like dark comets streaking across the sky. I watched, helpless, as they scattered to the wind, each one heading to a different corner of this new world.
I had to stop them. I had to...
But before I could do anything, my body slammed into the ground with a bone-shattering impact. The force of the crash sent shockwaves through the earth, creating a massive crater that radiated destruction in all directions. Trees were uprooted, rocks shattered, and the very air seemed to vibrate with the aftershock.
Pain exploded through me, every nerve in my body screaming in agony. I gasped for breath, the air ripped from my lungs as I lay in the centre of the crater, my body broken and battered. My vision blurred, the edges darkening as my senses began to fade. The book, the cursed tome that had brought me here, was still in my hand. Its cover was now warm to the touch, as if it had absorbed some of the energy from the impact.
I tried to move, but my limbs refused to obey. Every muscle felt like it was on fire, the pain so intense that it was almost numbing. My mind raced, struggling to make sense of what had happened, of where I was, and what I needed to do next. My gaze drifted to the book I had, the one that cursed me here.
Vol 0 - Wishes.
Why that one? What did it mean?
Just as the darkness threatened to take me, I caught sight of something, or rather, someone moving at the edge of the crater. My vision swam, but I could make out it was a figure, a person, unmistakably human, approaching cautiously. Long hair glinted in the sunlight, golden like a freshly printed book and black hate perched atop her head. She moved with purpose; her eyes, though blurred to me, shined with curiosity and something else, something I couldn't quite place.
My heart pounded in my chest, a surge of bewilderment and confusion flooding my mind. Was this another illusion? Another trick of the tome? Or was she honest, a living, breathing person?
My fingers twitched, reaching out towards her. I wanted to call out, to ask who she was, where I was, but the words caught in my throat, choking me. It had been so long; it was like I had forgotten how to speak. My vision darkened further, the edges of my mind crumbling away. Still, I strained to keep my eyes open, to keep her in sight, as if she was the only anchor I had in this chaotic, shattered reality.
The last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me was her face, vaguely familiar yet wholly unknown, looking down at me with a mixture of concern and wariness.